Pregnancy Scans: Fetal Anomaly Scans 20+ weeks

Being an expectant mother would lead you to several medical check ups to enable you to secure the health of the child and yours. While in the course of pregnancy, you are done with the gender scan to let you know the gender of your baby, at the mid-pregnancy stage, you will be offered to take the fetal anomaly scans. But what is fetal anomaly scan and how you are examined?

The fetal anomaly scans is being done to determine if there are structural malformations to the development of the baby inside the womb.

The organs of the baby are examined in this scan such as the head, the spine, heart and the hands and the feet. Also,placenta, umbilical cord and amniotic fluid are examined.

Here are some of the anomalies that can be seen during the fetal anomaly scans:

• Anencephaly (absence of the top of the head) - 99 per cent
• Exomphalos/gastroscisis (defects of the abdominal wall) - 90 per cent
• Major limb abnormalities (missing or very short limbs) - 90 per cent
• Spina bifida (open spinal cord) - 90 per cent
• Major kidney problems (missing or abnormal kidneys) - 85 per cent
• Diaphragmatic hernia (hole in the muscle separating chest and abdomen) - 60 per cent
• Hydrocephalus (excess fluid within the brain) - 60 per cent
• Down's syndrome (some babies with Down's may have heart or bowel problems that may be seen on the scan) - 40 per cent
• Major heart problems (defects of chambers, valves or vessels) - 25 per cent
• Autism - never seen
• Cerebral palsy - never seen.

If a heart problem is recognized, you will be referred to a specialist to conduct an examination called fetal echo.

Having to understand the value of fetal anomaly scans, the knowledge will equip you to care for the well-being of the baby and yours.

4d scans ultrasound: when life begins at the womb

Pregnancy is one of the blissful moments in a woman's life. Not only it becomes a realization of a successful relationship between couples but also it is a new life born out of commitment and love. When life begins at the womb, all care and extra precautions are undertaken to ensure the health and the life of the child. Obstetrics is the medical application of using 3D ultrasound technologies. However with the more advanced technology that we have, four-dimensional scanning has also been available which is popularly known as the 4d scans.

4d scans is similar to the 3d scanning method of pregnancy scans. 3d scanning captures the image of the fetus three-dimensional. When these images are captured rapidly and animated it produces the 4d scans.

The 4d scans ultrasound is performed by a fully trained ultrasonographer or consultant. It is done on the abdomen similar to earlier pregnancy scans. The images are collected by the ultrasound machine, processed in its computer memory to give a three-dimensional image. Therefore, no known risk to safety of mother or baby.

4d scans or the 3d scans is usually not intended as diagnostic tools for fetal problems, however during the process, when a problem has been discovered, you can be referred to the hospital to have a more comprehensive idea of your pregnancy condition.

For additional readings on 4d scans FAQs, you can refer to 4D Baby Scans FAQs.

Kinds of Pregnancy Scans ultrasound at different intervals during pregnancy

We have discussed earlier in the blogposts the importance of pregnancy ultrasound and why it is much needed. However, pregnancy scans should be performed depending on purpose at which the pregnancy intervals is highly considered. There are kinds of pregnancy scans and we will discuss them for you to learn the difference of each other.

Fetal Gender (20+ weeks)

Fetal gender scan is a pregnancy scans made for 20 weeks and above to determine the gender of the fetus. This is meticulously performed ultrasound scan examining each system to identify any problems present. The examination includes brain, spine, face, chest including heart and lungs, the liver, stomach and bowel, kidneys and limbs.

Nuchal Scan (11-13 weeks)

The nuchal test is a Baby Ultrasound scan focusing on the thickness of skin at the back of the baby's neck. Thickened skin is commonly associated with Downs syndrome and other chromosome abnormalities.

Cervical Assessment (20-24 weeks)

Ultrasound may help identify women who are likely to miscarry or have a premature labour due to a weak cervix. The weakness is reflected by the shortening of the cervix as measured by ultrasound every 2 or 3 weeks. This examination is usually valuable in women with a history of premature labour or repeated miscarriages after the first trimester, that is, from 13 weeks onwards.


Fetal Wellbeing & Reassurance Scan (22-42 weeks)

Involves assessing the baby's growth by measuring the tummy and head size, the water around the baby, the baby's activity and adequacy of blood flowing around the baby using Doppler.


3D and 4D baby Scans (24-32 Weeks)

This is made to get a three or four dimensional image of the baby in the womb which may help see the gender or recognize fetal problems like malformation of the hand or the limbs.

src: www.pregnancy-and-baby-ultrasoundscan.co.uk

Why is pregnancy ultrasound needed?

With the onset of new technology, pregnancy can never be as simple as it used to be. Today, you can see the baby inside the womb with pregnancy ultrasound. But is that all the importance of ultrasound? Why is ultrasound needed? What is 4d scans ultrasound? We will further answer these questions as we go along in the topic.

Pregnancy ultrasound is a procedure where a moderated frequency is introduce to the external skin of the abdomen. This frequency then generates images resulting into the figure of the baby. In the prior years, ultrasound is recognized as either two-dimensional or 3D. Now you can also have the 4d scans ultrasound.

4d scans ultrasound or 4d scans is like the 3d scan only that the fetal movements could be monitored. Because the procedure rapidly capture the image, it produces the 4d baby ultrasound scans.

Why is pregnancy ultrasound needed?

Some of the reasons why pregnancy ultrasound is performed are :

1. For Diagnosis and confirmation of early pregnancy or expected pregnancy.

2. To confirm the confirm the site of the pregnancy is within the cavity of the uterus.

3. For diagnosis of fetal malformation in the early stage of pregnancy.

4. To determine the presence of more than one fetus.

For you to be sure if you will need a pregnancy ultrasound during your pregnancy period, your doctor will be the best authority who can give you the advise.

Pregnancy Ultrasound: Bond with the baby inside your womb

Getting pregnant can be overwhelming to some especially when mothers are not prepared. However, the fears diminish when the woman realizes that she is carrying a life within her womb. This can create a bond between the mother and the child especially if the mother has an actual experience of seeing the baby in her womb. While this may be impossible in the past, this has been already available now through pregnancy ultrasound. With pregnancy ultrasound, the mother can have a bonding experience with the baby while it is inside the womb.


Baby ultrasound is a frequency diagnostic procedure used to pass high frequency waves to the body of the woman. This in turn, reflects back echo which is then analyzed to create the image of what is inside the womb- the baby .

Types of pregnancy ultrasound


2d scans is the most common obstetric diagnostic mode. This is generated with a two-dimensional area for the scanned body area. However, this is unable to determine the gender of the child assound waves being sent straight down and reflected back.

In the 3d scanning, the sound waves are sent at different angles compared to that of the 2d scan. The process enables the procedure to generate a three-dimensional image to create the image of the fetus.

4d scans is an ultrasound used in medical technology to know the gender of the gender of a child while it is still at the womb. During pregnancy, it is expected how excited couples can be with the baby.